


New Year's Day

by Just_amberr



Series: Tom learns How to Relationship [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Crack, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Asexual Tom Riddle, Family Feels, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, M/M, New Year's Eve, Sad and Happy, Surprise Kissing, Surprise Party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 17:35:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29795466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Just_amberr/pseuds/Just_amberr
Summary: In which Tom has a surprise birthday party and learns more about Harry and his friends.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Tom Riddle
Series: Tom learns How to Relationship [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2185662
Comments: 13
Kudos: 100





	New Year's Day

After the disaster that was the Christmas gala, Tom agreed to go with Harry to Ron and Hermione’s New Year’s Eve party over the events he’d been invited to by various elites. Lucius and his other top employees were instead sent to individual parties on Tom’s behalf, in order to avoid giving offense. Everything was settled, and attending a small party with Harry’s two friends should have been a cakewalk compared to the complex conversations Tom navigated on a daily basis, but instead Tom was more anxious than he’d been in a long time. 

“Are you sure they wouldn’t prefer it if I wore something a little nicer?” Tom asked, straightening his casual long sleeve again. “I don’t want to be underdressed.”

“Tom,” Harry smirked, hugging him comfortingly. “My friends’ idea of fancy is what you’re wearing right now. Well, maybe not Hermione’s, but definitely Ron’s. You’ll fit right in, I promise.”

“I got the wine you told me was Hermione’s favorite.” Tom held up the bottle of red wine he’d picked up personally. “I don’t know why you wouldn’t let me get her something better though.”

“You’ll see, Mr. Snob!” Harry laughed. “It makes the best mulled wine - Hermione swears by her recipe.”

He reached out and grabbed Tom’s hand. “It’s gonna be great, Tom. Let’s go!”

Tom let Harry pull him out of the flat and down to where Benjamin was waiting for them outside. 

Unbeknownst to Tom, Harry and Benjamin had been plotting for weeks. Though Tom rarely mentioned it and had never celebrated it, his birthday was also on New Year’s Eve. So, Harry had sent Benjamin off on a mission to get all of Tom’s favorite things, which were now hidden in the back seat and waiting to be brought into the party at Hermione and Ron’s home. Harry was so excited about it all that he could hardly stand himself, but Tom was so nervous about meeting Harry’s friends that he remained completely oblivious. 

When they arrived, Ron met them at the door with the trash he ‘conveniently’ needed to take out.

“Just head on in!” Ron said cheerfully. “Hermione’s very excited to have you both over - she’s been prepping all day.”

He winked at Harry, who grinned brightly back. Ron was going to take all of the party things out of the car while Hermione distracted Tom inside. Harry would have done it himself, but Tom was much too nervous for Harry to just leave him alone. Though how Hermione could possibly be scarier than some of Tom’s clients Harry couldn’t reason out.

“Hullo, Tom!” Hermione beamed at them both. “Oh! You brought my favorite wine - that was very thoughtful of you both.”

She took the bottle and led them into the kitchen, where she’d made a few different snacks.

“Has Harry told you about my mulled wine yet?” She asked, smirking at Harry.

“He may have mentioned it once or twice.” Tom smiled nervously. 

“Well,” Hermione said, getting out a pot and turning on the stovetop. “I hope you like it anyway. Would you like a quick tour?”

“Certainly.” Tom said politely, looking to Harry for reassurance. 

Harry reached out and held Tom’s hand, squeezing it three times. “We’d love one, Hermione.”

Hermione smiled, her eyes catching on to their hands before she led them all around their modest home. She’d originally just wanted to get a flat close to her work, but Ron thought they were too impersonal and wanted space to make Hermione as many bookshelves as she wanted. The bookshelf idea had been what convinced her in the end, and she had to admit that she liked having her home away from the rush of other people. 

By the time they’d finished the tour, Ron had snuck back into the kitchen and taken out all of Tom’s favorite foods and the balloons Hermione had blown up earlier. Harry, in his very subtle inquiries, had discovered that one of Tom’s favorite things growing up was when the orphans had field trips and each got to have a balloon. He always picked the green ones and would keep them until they were practically flat. 

“So, Tom,” Hermione smiled excitedly. “Harry mentioned to us that it was also your birthday today. I hope you don’t mind, but we wanted to celebrate it with you.”

And before Tom could reply, she led them back into the kitchen where Ron was waiting for them. 

“Surprise!” Ron shouted, smiling proudly at his set-up.

Tom just stood there, stunned. He looked to Harry, a question in his eyes. 

“Benjamin helped me.” Harry looked up at him, a little nervous. “I know you don’t normally celebrate your birthday, but we wanted to surprise you. Do you like it?”

Tom nodded, looking at them all in surprise. 

“Thank you,” He said slowly, as though looking for the right words to say. “No one’s ever done anything like this for me before.”

Hermione smiled, while Ron looked a little awkward. He wasn’t really great with feelings, but he tried his best. 

“Do you wanna try this cake, Tom? Harry said it’s some fancy fruit concoction you like.”

Tom chuckled. “Okay, I’ll have some. Thanks, Ron.”

He felt much more comfortable after that, feeling Ron and Hermione’s authentic acceptance of him. Tom could see why Harry liked them so much - they were both genuine in everything they did. Ron was maybe a bit blunt and clueless, but the two of them obviously cared very much about each other, Harry, and now Tom. 

Later on into the evening, Hermione and Tom were alone in the kitchen together. She’d gone to stir the mulled wine, which they’d been enjoying while they played a card game in the living room. 

“May I have some more, please?” Tom asked, holding out his mug hopefully. “It’s really quite good.”

“I’m glad you like it.” Hermione smiled, taking his mug and pouring some wine into it.

“Tom,” She said quietly, handing him back his mug. “Did Harry ever explain to you why he squeezes your hand three times?”

Tom shook his head, confused. “No, I just thought it was a random thing Harry did.”

Hermione shook her head, a little sadly. “It was something he used to do with his parents.”

Oh. Tom froze as he remembered when Harry had finally told him about his family. It had just been him and his parents, but they had been happy. When Harry was a teenager though, they had both died unexpectedly, leaving Harry alone. He’d gone to stay with the Weasleys until he came of age, but the experience had damaged him emotionally for years. 

“It means, ‘I love you’.” Hermione said simply, smiling at Tom. “His mum would do that with him all the time.” 

“But anyway,” Hermione shook her head as though clearing away the sad memories. “Let’s get back to them, shall we?”

Tom nodded, smiling at her as they walked back out to the living room. He really liked Hermione - she was just as fiercely protective of Harry and brave as Ron, but there was a subtlety to her that Tom appreciated. The fact that she had shared that part of Harry’s past with him meant that she trusted Tom to treasure it for what it was. It was a gift, one that Tom would not take for granted. 

They spent the rest of the evening together, laughing and playing games until well past midnight. Ringing in the New Year and celebrating his birthday used to feel empty to Tom, but here with these people Tom felt full of that joy and hope he’d always heard other people talk about. Eventually they all fell asleep on the couches, piled together like children at a sleepover. 

Hermione woke them up the next morning to the smell of pancakes, eggs, and mimosas. 

“I’m not letting you leave with empty stomachs!” Hermione said brightly, pushing Harry and Tom over to the kitchen table. “Harry told me you like pancakes with fruit, Tom, so I picked up some strawberries the other day.”

“Thank you,” Tom said, surprised and pleased. “We’ll have to have both of you over to mine soon so I can make dinner. I really like cooking, and I’m pretty good at it. Right, Harry?”

He turned to see Harry’s mouth full of syrupy pancakes. Harry held up a finger, swallowed, and then agreed. 

“He’s excellent at cooking - we even made Christmas cookies the other day.”

“What?!” Ron sputtered. “You taught Tom your family Christmas cookie recipe? You haven’t even shown me, your best mate, that recipe!”

Harry rolled his eyes. “If I gave you that recipe you’d never come over anymore, Ron. I gotta keep you interested so you don’t leave me.”

“Never!” Ron retorted immediately. “You’re stuck with me forever. Besides, it’d make family dinners proper awkward if we weren’t best mates, wouldn’t it?”

“Oh, speaking of that.” Ron stabbed another pancake off the main plate and brought it over to himself. “Mum wants you over next week for supper. She said to bring Tom too or she’ll come in for a surprise visit to meet him.”

Harry laughed. “Well, we can’t have that.”

He turned to Tom, looking up at him hopefully. “How about it, Tom? Do you want to meet my second family?”

“Of course.” Tom beamed. “I’d really love that, Harry.”

They finished breakfast, helping Ron and Hermione pick everything up afterwards. They’d made quite the mess, empty wine mugs and playing cards and a few deflated helium balloons they’d used to make their voices high-pitched. When the house was put back to rights, Tom texted Benjamin to come pick them up and they said their goodbyes. 

Ron shook Tom’s hand, grinning. “Good to finally spend some time with you, Tom.”

“Yes,” Hermione hugged Tom. “I’ll be taking you up on that dinner later.”

Harry and Tom got into the back of the car, Benjamin driving them back to Tom’s flat. 

“So, tell me honestly,” Harry said, looking fondly at Tom. “Did you like them?”

“Yeah,” Tom smiled. “I actually really liked them, Harry. Do you reckon they liked me?”

Harry snorted. “Trust me, Tom. If they hadn’t liked you, they would have told you so.”

Tom nodded. “I suspected as much. You have excellent taste in friends, Harry.”

“Aw,” Harry kissed him on the cheek. “You’re sweet, Tom.” 

He turned to look out the window, holding Tom’s hand. 

Feeling suddenly very nervous, Tom squeezed Harry’s hand three times gently. 

He felt Harry tense up, but couldn’t convince himself to look over to see Harry’s reaction. What if he’d overstepped somehow? He shouldn’t have done that, it was stupid and too personal…

Tom felt more than saw Harry turn around quickly, guiding Tom’s face to his and kissing him. Tom used to not really get the idea of kissing, but with Harry it suddenly made a whole lot of sense. 

“Hermione told you, didn’t she?” Harry murmured when they broke apart, their faces still close as they looked at each other. 

Tom didn’t want to ruin the moment, so he just nodded.

Harry chuckled slightly, kissing Tom again. “I love you too, Tom. Happy New Year.”

Outtake:

“So,” Ron said faux-casually. “I was thinking maybe we could just drop our bet this time.”

“Oh, no you don’t.” Hermione retorted, flipping through her magazine. “You bet that Tom would be a total stick in the mud and you were wrong. You owe me another bookshelf now.”

Ron sighed in defeat. The people at the home-improvement shop knew him by name due to how often he was there getting bookshelf-making materials. He really should stop betting against Hermione.

**Author's Note:**

> You have Taylor Swift's iconic song and procrastination to thank for this addition of Tom learns how to relationship. 
> 
> Happy Reading!


End file.
